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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27772888">how to turn a cosmic mistake into an epic romance by jung jaehyun</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/hibouxx/pseuds/hibouxx'>hibouxx</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Attempt at Humor, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Flirting Gone Wrong, Getting Together, Living Together, M/M, dense jaehyun</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 23:34:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,473</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27772888</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/hibouxx/pseuds/hibouxx</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Sorry I had to run to the store to get a toothbrush. I forgot mine at my old dorm.” His roommate says in earnest after he’s done staring. Forgetful on top of being messy, then.</p><p>“Nakamoto Yuta, by the way.” he curtly adds with a strained smile. Jaehyun wonders why he looks like he’s vibrating in fear when Jaehyun hasn’t said anything remotely mean yet, despite almost breaking his toe on Yuta’s things.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Nakamoto Yuta</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>167</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Sakura Mochi - a yujae centered ficfest</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>how to turn a cosmic mistake into an epic romance by jung jaehyun</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>prompt #04<br/>After a steamy night with a cute guy, jaehyun asks him for his number. of course, the number is a fake one so he ends up sending a nude/sexy pic to a total stranger. when college starts again, jaehyun has a new roommate, yuta. turns out, yuta receive that picture months ago, and	needless to say, it's the first thing yuta tells jaehyun.</p><p>&gt;first time doing this kind of genre, i felt like a fish out of water the entire time writing this but i hoped it turned out okay!<br/>&gt;i did my best to edit but if you spot any mistakes, no you didn't<br/>&gt;enjoy this mess!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Jaehyun looks at the email notice from the dorm manager and thinks back to all the times he accidentally locked his roommate out and all the other times he accused him of stinking up their dorm with his unwashed laundry. Jaehyun feels a little guilty, but only a little; he knows he deserves to have his moments of broodiness and unapproachability, especially boxed in in a cramped space like the students’ dorms. He recalls the last text message he received from his now ex-roommate, about a friend offering him a cheaper accommodation off campus. An obvious lie, and not a very creative one either.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, at least that takes care of it.” He says to no one in particular as he stabs his finger against his phone screen when it goes to sleep, so he can read the last line again.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Nakamoto Yuta</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he reads out loud. His new roommate’s name sure is a mouthful.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At the end of the narrow hallway, next to Jaehyun’s door are exactly four moving boxes stacked on top of each other and a giant stuffed panda lying on its side on the floor. Jaehyun nearly trips on them when he tries to get to his room without flicking the switch on. He completely forgets that today is the day his new roommate moves in, there’s no sound coming from the room across his so Jaehyun assumes this Nakamoto Yuta simply left his stuff lying around being a risk for broken toes. He supposes </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yuta</span>
  </em>
  <span> doesn’t care much for first impressions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s an hour later when the elusive roommate finally shows himself at the front door, his long, wavy hair pointing in every direction but still managing to look good. Jaehyun is understandably taken aback; the man is so pretty it feels like a crime to associate his face with the mess he left in the hallway. His sharp features are further accentuated by his heavy eyeliner and the shimmery gloss over his plump, heart-shaped lips and Jaehyun never knew he had a thing for lips until now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The way his new roommate’s physical attributes cater to all of Jaehyun’s preferences rubs him the wrong way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta, for his part, gives him a long, dry stare and Jaehyun has a sinking feeling that he’s being scrutinised for his batman t-shirt. He hopes he didn’t unknowingly let a devoted Marvel fan into his home (technically the dorm management did but that’s beside the point). That’s one more reason to be extra cautious of the new guy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry I had to run to the store to get a toothbrush. I forgot mine at my old dorm.” His roommate says in earnest after he’s done staring. Forgetful on top of being messy, then.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nakamoto Yuta, by the way.” he curtly adds with a strained smile. Jaehyun wonders why he looks like he’s vibrating in fear when Jaehyun hasn’t said anything remotely mean yet, despite almost breaking his toe on Yuta’s things.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jung Jaehyun.” He introduces himself in the nicest tone he can manage, and his new roommate tests the name syllable by syllable until he can say it without the noticeable accent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nice to meet you Jaehyun! Let’s get along well.” He then proceeds to clumsily carry his stuff inside his room but not without blindly running into the wall for absolutely no reason. Jaehyun finds it fascinating how this person can look like everything he ever wanted in a man and at the same time his worst bloody nightmare.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The ideal situation is a clear sink, a clean, unoccupied bathroom and no loud music past 11pm, especially during exam weeks, but Yuta somehow manages to tick all of Jaehyun pet peeves in just a week. He keeps mostly to himself at the beginning of their unintended cohabitation, he’s a performing arts student so his schedule is tumultuous at best, and Jaehyun finds himself alone in the apartment most of the time. It’s one of the few good things he’s reaping from this new setup, but it also makes the fact that Yuta still grates on his nerves despite their limited interactions all the more impressive.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All things considered however, it isn’t so bad living with Yuta, despite the chaos of dirty cups piling in the sink and the </span>
  <em>
    <span>thud-thudding</span>
  </em>
  <span> of his rock music from his room past midnight, not to mention the weird, lingering looks he sometimes sends in Jaehyun’s direction. After all, nothing could be worse than waking up to Doyoung wiping the entire dorm down with disinfectant after Jaehyun catches a cold.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That is, of course, until that one particular Monday when Jaehyun is supposed to get to class before seven so he gets up at half past five in the morning so he can have the bathroom to himself, without interruption for once. He couldn’t be more wrong about that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun has a dangerous habit of shaving while completely naked, he knows he shouldn’t and that something could easily go very wrong, from a slip of the blade or an accidental stumble, but it’s terribly convenient when he’s going to jump in the shower right after. Of the many dangers of this habit, Jaehyun is caught flat footed by the one possibility he fails to take into consideration: that is, his new roommate walking in on him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dorm manager hasn’t gotten around to fixing the broken lock on the bathroom door the same way they haven’t patched up some of the holes on the walls left by the previous tenants from two years ago. So Jaehyun will blame the entire management for it when he completely overlooks the possibility of such an embarrassing scenario happening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door swings open behind Jaehyun with so much force that Jaehyun quite literally jumps, spinning around to face his unexpected audience and regrets the action almost as quickly. Yuta’s half lidded eyes grow bigger as he takes in Jaehyun’s state of undress, his jaw going slack and mouth parting comically. It’s a funny sight, but Jaehyun isn’t laughing because he’s naked and freezing from the cold air that comes rushing in with Yuta. They make brief eye contact before Yuta’s backpedaling and swinging the door close after him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun releases a breath he doesn’t realise he’s holding and uses the sink behind him for support while he recovers from the shock. He doesn’t get long however, because the door opens again, this time more controlled and accompanied by the characteristic creaking sound. This time, Yuta sticks his head back in deliberately with a small frown. Jaehyun watches the smaller man’s eyes narrow as he sizes him up, gaze sliding from his face down to his crotch. He looks too serious for someone appraising his new roommate’s dick first thing in the morning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta’s eyes meet his again, the frown is still there and his lips are drawn tight in deep thought before he mumbles a quiet “sorry.” and retreats a second time. This time Jaehyun doesn’t relax until he hears the sound of footsteps retreating.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the fuck?” He mumbles to himself, a deep blush creeping up his neck. Now, he really needs that shower.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The incident is never spoken of again between them but there’s an obvious change in the way Yuta looks at him after. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s still a little annoyed about it, after all, seeing Jung Jaehyun naked is a privilege that isn’t handed to just about anyone (even if Jungwoo would contest that that’s not an argument someone who sleeps around too much should use).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun doesn’t bring the topic up however, they’re not exactly friends yet and if anything, Yuta should be the one making the effort to apologise, first for accidentally peeping on him and second, for </span>
  <em>
    <span>purposely</span>
  </em>
  <span> peeping on him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their setup remains as it is, with Yuta not coming back to the dorm until past eight in the evening and Jaehyun hogging the tiny living room space with his notes so Yuta doesn’t have a choice but to skip straight to his room because Jaehyun can’t stand looking at him without recalling the embarrassing incident (and absolutely not because Yuta manages to look more attractive every time he sees him)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Since it was never discussed between them, they normally do their shopping separately instead of combining their food allowance, and it makes sense because they hardly see each other for dinner. So it comes as another surprise when the older man arrives at the dorm at 6pm sharp for the first time, bearing a lifetime supply of cup noodles, like all long-suffering students do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun is in the process of cleaning up after his meal, one he cooked meticulously between his readings, when Yuta sits across him at the small kitchen table after putting the water to boil. He has a pair of cheap wooden chopsticks—the ones that come free with the noodles at the convenience store—which he puts on top of the lid of the noodles he already peeled back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re early.” Jaehyun says to break the ice. He may not be the world’s best roommate but he isn’t a full time jerk either. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Class was cancelled, the professor had an emergency.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun hums in understanding. That’s not entirely unheard of in the first few weeks after the term starts. He grabs his mug to finish the coke sitting at the bottom of it and for whatever reason, Yuta also chooses that precise moment for his next words, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think you accidentally sent me your nude a few months ago.” Jaehyun proceeds to choke, eyes watering from the burn of soda as it goes down the wrong hole. He accidentally sprays coke all over the table and Yuta (serves him right, really). The latter manages to shield his dinner with his hand and flinches back to avoid the worst of the mess. He makes a face that’s equal parts amusement and disgust.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “I might be wrong though. I’m not sure how many men with a six pack, an outie belly button and </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> much hair down there, are there in Seoul.” he adds helpfully after Jaehyun’s done coughing up a lung. He says all of it with a straight face that Jaehyun almost questions the validity of the statement, except he can’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I...what...how?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sure either. Anyway, no big deal, I just wanted to let you know I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun feels his face burn from something other than the lack of air as he tries to get his breathing under control. He’s mortified, because as much as he wants to deny it, there is a very good chance that Yuta isn’t mistaken. He recalls a party he’d been invited to last summer at a local bar, a lot of beers and mayhaps some soju bombs mixed in between, a hot guy from the art department with a good mouth, a nasty bathroom stall and a brief drunken conversation where the guy gives Jaehyun what’s presumably, his number and which he now knows, is a fake one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta seems to take his silence for affirmation because he shrugs just as the kettle starts to whistle, “Don’t worry, I didn’t show anyone.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun has never wished so hard for the ground to open up and swallow him whole and leave no traces of his ill-advised decisions, as he does at that moment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re so hot.” The stranger tells Jaehyun as he pushes him against the stall door, making it shake under his weight. The man is shorter than him by half a head but he eyes Jaehyun like he’s about to devour him. The man smells like musk and tequila and mint and Jaehyun throws his head back when warm lips press against his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The room spins around them and bile rises up Jaehyun’s throat, making him forget for a brief second where he is and why he’s there. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, what’s your name again?” He asks but he only gets a muffled laugh in return, and then he’s being kissed again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The morning after is a blur; Jaehyun wakes up on Jungwoo’s couch with his jacket missing and to a new number saved under his contacts, but instead of a name there’s only a series of lewd emojis.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he gets back to the dorm, Doyoung gives him a face for the state of his hair and clothes, and the dark bags under his eyes. Feeling vindictive, but mostly out of crabiness as a direct result of his hangover, he slams the bathroom door behind him and drowns out Doyoung’s nagging under the spray of the shower.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t know what comes over him at that moment and he’s going to deny the sheer stupidity of the action when it bites him back in the ass someday, but he takes his phone out of his discarded jean’s pocket after his shower and snaps a picture of his body from his chest down on the mirror. It’s impulsive and risky but Jaehyun’s hungover self doesn’t see it that way when he attaches the image to a new, blank message, hoping it’s enough to jog the stranger’s memory of the previous night.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Go big or go home</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thinks as he presses send.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun is rarely wrong about first impressions but he now knows that Yuta hadn’t been vibrating in fear on their first meeting. He had been shaking from the thrill of having a cosmic leverage over Jaehyun.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now that’s just dumb.” Jungwoo says to his face, quite loudly too, when he’s forced to admit the truth after his stupidity finally catches up to him in the form of his new roommate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How about a bit of sympathy? Also keep it down, will you? I didn’t tell you that so you can announce it to everyone here.” Jaehyun spits out, already a little annoyed. Jungwoo looks no less unapologetic when he asks in a more hushed tone, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you’re telling me, you sent a nude to a number the guy you hooked up with last summer gave you? And the number turned out to be your new roommate’s? Yeah, still very dumb. One day you’d end up following a murderous psychopath home.” The younger man leans against the backrest of his chair and almost knocks their drinks over when his long legs rattle the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Absolutely not, I’m not an idiot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Says the guy who attempted to send his nude to someone they don’t even know.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a menace.” He takes a deep breath before he ends up throttling Jungwoo, and then continues, “As I was saying, my new roommate is most definitely plotting something. He wouldn’t have told me he has my picture if he’s not planning on using that against me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He didn’t delete it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then how did you—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know Jungwoo, I just assumed. He’s in theatre and is friends with snobby, trust fund kids. I’m pretty sure he can’t be trusted.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jungwoo gives him a dry look “You’re a trust fund kid yourself...” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does that matter?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The younger man lets out a tired sigh, placating his friend by reaching out across the table and patting him on the head, it does the exact opposite of course but Jungwoo always knows what he’s doing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Take it easy. You don’t even really know him yet, you’ve literally only been living together for what, three weeks? Maybe he’s not as bad as you think.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He scoffs, “Maybe next time you hear from me I’ll be the topic of the school forums after Yuta puts my picture up on every single bulletin board on campus.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jungwoo takes a bite of his sandwich and chews loudly for the heck of it, “Man, I don’t get paid enough to be your friend.” Jaehyun decides he’s not stooping down to Jungwoo’s level today, so he doesn’t throw his leftover vegetarian japchae at Jungwoo’s sullen face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No such thing happens, of course, and Jungwoo has to remind Jaehyun over the phone a few times that he’s not living the life of a kdrama protagonist so he needs to stop making up all these scenarios in his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, Jaehyun finds himself waking up in cold sweat many mornings following the bomb Yuta dropped on him, and he can’t help but be wary of the older man, who hasn’t really changed one bit; mostly still minding his own business, except for the few occasions he finds an opportunity to be aggravatingly annoying. Like when he leaves the bathroom lights on and compulsively forgets his keys or accidentally steals Jaehyun’s in a moment of undoubtedly staged confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Except there’s no question that something has shifted in their non-existent relationship.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Occasionally Jaehyun would catch him shooting furtive glances his way when he thinks Jaehyun’s not looking, it’s not entirely new and Jaehyun thinks it has more to do with the fact that Jaehyun has been glaring at him without any real provocation. Jungwoo calls it sexual tension, Jaehyun calls it a battle of wits.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The change is a little more obvious with the way Yuta would buy an extra can of coke whenever he goes to the convenience store and leaves it out for Jaehyun without a word. Perhaps it’s his way of apologising, either way, Jaehyun doesn’t buy it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun doesn’t bother explaining the story behind that picture of course, because other than the fact that it’s pretty much just digging a deeper hole for himself, he thinks Yuta doesn’t have any business knowing about his failed hookup(s), not if he can help it anyway. In fact, no one needs to know that Jaehyun’s reputation as the most sought after guy in his department is nothing but the result of a fake rumour Jungwoo might possibly have started in their freshmen year.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So he takes extra measures to avoid the conversation: tiptoeing around his roommate and making sure they see less of each other even on days where they’re both at home. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s a pain, but it works because a week passes without incident. A week, and then Jaehyun’s resolve crumbles slightly when Yuta knocks on his door on a Saturday afternoon, to tell him he cooked something for them because he doesn’t have anything due for the following week and he’s restless when he has free time. Jaehyun follows him to the kitchen, still suspicious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That something turns out to be charred pork. He doesn’t even know where Yuta got his meat when their fridge hasn’t looked any less empty save for the energy drinks and rows of half-empty cans of coke. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure this is edible?” He asks but Yuta doesn’t hear him, too focused on scraping the meat off the stove top grill he didn’t even know they have. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s barbecued pork.” His roommate announces proudly after he manages to save four slices of meat. The fat has all but melted into the grill and the meat looks far from salvageable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This looks carcinogenic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Carcino-what?” Yuta turns his big, round eyes on him and Jaehyun falters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing. Nevermind.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So Jaehyun eats it, but not without coercion from Yuta’s part by way of twinkling eyes and pursed lips. And other than the fact that Yuta looked pitiful trying to pick at what remained of his barbecued pork, he also knows he shouldn’t antagonise someone who has a very compromising picture of him, assuming Yuta still has it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay.” Jaehyun tells his roommate out of obligation when he meets Yuta’s eyes after the first bite. It isn’t okay but Jaehyun’s not going to say that and it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Yuta has turned his charm up at full throttle towards him, not that it affects Jaehyun. He’s stronger than he looks, even if Jungwoo will beg to differ.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad.” And then Yuta’s beaming at him, lips curling up beautifully and Jaehyun’s throat is suddenly parched. He blames it on the burnt meat when he reaches for a glass of water and chugs down the entire thing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta looks so sincere and earnest the entire time that he comes close to falling for the act, if only he doesn’t start choking on a chunk of meat so hard and dry it can pass off as a piece of wood. Jaehyun is convinced that’s how he’s going to go: death by overcooked meat courtesy of his over ambitious roommate. Luckily, the thing dislodges from his throat with a solid smack to the back of his head by none other than the culprit to his would’ve been murder. Yuta’s laughter rings in his ears while Jaehyun tries to remember how to breathe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yes, Jaehyun decides, he definitely doesn’t like men who can’t cook, even if they’re cute as hell.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There are far more bizarre things than waking up to Yuta parading around the apartment in one of his favourite boxers, the same one that’s been missing for an entire week, Jaehyun assures himself as he practices what he recalls from Jungwoo’s impromptu breathing exercise lessons, after making sure the sight isn’t a product of caffeine overload.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boxers are a little snug around his roommate’s hips and has a distinctive maple leaf pattern (he got it from a souvenir shop in Toronto) that it’s pretty much impossible for Yuta to not tell it’s not his, not to mention it’s incredibly foul of him to be prancing around in just a t-shirt and a pair of stolen boxers around a healthy young and very gay man like Jaehyun.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Those are mine.” He says calmly, giving due credits to said breathing exercise. Yuta perks up at the sight of him and Jaehyun’s sleep-addled mind barely picks up on the innocent confusion Yuta projects.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The boxers. Those are mine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta looks down at himself, his mouth forming a small o, “They were in my laundry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It must’ve gotten mixed up in the dryer.” Because god knows how many times Jaehyun lost half a pair of socks to the damn thing. He personally thinks everyone in their building is in possession of half his missing socks. Jaehyun doesn’t know if his boxers getting mixed up with Yuta’s laundry is a strike of luck or the exact opposite. He’s leaning towards the former.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh? I was pretty sure they were mine.” At least his roommate has the decency to look apologetic, even as he </span>
  <em>
    <span>tries</span>
  </em>
  <span> to defend his indirect thieving, “they’re so comfy too.” He adds, and Jaehyun nods because of course it is, it’s made of good quality cotton and he still wants it back even if Yuta’s looking at him like his lungs will fail him if Jaehyun decides to take back his own underwear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I have it?” Yuta finally verbalises the dreaded question and Jaehyun doesn’t even try to mask his chagrin. What kind of person would want someone else’s old, used underwear?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I already wore it a few times so it already has my cooties. Also it would be a little weird giving it back.” Like receiving Jaehyun’s nude and telling him about it over their dinner table wasn’t weird, he almost scoffs but then Yuta turns those eyes on him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ugh fine, suit yourself.” He doesn’t stalk back to his room quick enough to miss the little giggle Yuta lets out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yuta: 3</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehun: still a whopping 0</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Just when Jaehyun thought he’d gone through the worst of it (because what’s worse than having to pick up Yuta’s mess and making sure he doesn’t set the dorm on fire so Jaehyun can still get his deposit back at the end of their contract) he finds out he hasn’t seen the extent of Yuta’s innate ability to antagonise him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The day starts off normal, with Jaehyun rushing for his morning class and then coming back home early after a persistent headache pretty much incapacitates him for the rest of the day. He’s hoping to crawl into bed after popping some ibuprofen and calling it a day. Instead, he finds himself staring the dorm door down when it refuses to budge after he unlocks it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck.” He says out loud because this could only mean the second lock is in place and that could only mean Yuta’s home with the bassline of whatever heavy metal rock he’s playing likely thrumming throughout the dorm. He recalls it’s a Wednesday and nearly bashes his head against the wall because yes, Yuta doesn’t have classes until afternoon on Wednesdays and he normally spends the morning locked in his room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The solution is simple, call him and ask him to open the door. Except Jaehyun never got his number, and he completely cleared his messaging history after that one wrongly-sent message from last summer. He tries banging on the door and screaming for Yuta, and only because he’s sure none of the other students are home to witness his almost-breakdown, but gets nothing but silence from the other side of the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He leans against the door and debates going out of the building to try and get Yuta’s attention from the window, but their dorm is on the fifth floor and Yuta’s window is facing the road and he’s not sure if he’s ready to make a fool of himself in front of a bigger audience. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I hate my roommate</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he repeats the sentiment in his head a few times before the door opens. He nearly face plants into their floor if not for Yuta’s quick reflexes, holding onto Jaehyun’s arms with a surprising amount of strength. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought I heard your voice.” He explains after Jaehyun regains his composure. The awfully loud music is still playing in the background and Yuta must have superhuman hearing to have heard him over it but it’s entirely possible that he’s been so conditioned to the heavy banging that he manages to pick up on anything that doesn’t sound like death and suffering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was hoping you would, I’m pretty sure the entire building could hear me. Why the hell did you have the second lock on anyway?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta seems to pick up on his mood because he only bites his bottom lip in guilt. Jaehyun tries not to stare at it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span> “I didn’t know you’d be home early.” and it was a fair reasoning, if Jaehyun didn’t vehemently refuse to get his roommate’s number, he’d have saved both of them the trouble, but he’s not going to own up to that mistake and he also doesn’t have any sharp-witted retorts to spare with the throbbing migraine spearing through his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have a bad headache so I skipped class.” He sighs heavily as he brushes past Yuta on his way to his room. He hears the pattering of feet behind him but ignores it in favour of getting his much needed sleep. He doesn’t remember closing his door nor taking his jacket off, too blissed out to finally be flat on his back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he wakes up an hour later, he’s tucked in under his duvet. The dorm is cold and quiet and he figures Yuta has already left for class because he can smell a hint of the floral sweetness characteristic of his perfume. He finds a glass of water and ibuprofen on his desk, and a familiar-looking cup noodles next to them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So maybe Yuta isn’t the scourge of the earth he thinks he is, but he’s still a pain in the ass. Still, Jaehyun finally asks him for his number when Yuta comes back from his classes that evening.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Among many of Jaehyun’s terrible assumptions about Yuta, only a few of them really live up to it, and one of them is his inability to read the atmosphere. It’s either Jaehyun isn’t coming off strong enough or Yuta simply ignores the air of awkwardness between them whenever he offers him half of the sad-looking sandwich he whipped up in less than a minute or like now, when he cozies up next to Jaehyun on the couch, halfway through the documentary Jaehyun’s not even paying attention to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They don’t talk, nor do they acknowledge each other’s presence. Yuta seems genuinely interested in whatever secret tomb is hidden away somewhere in Egypt because he wouldn’t be making the extra effort to drag himself out of his room close to midnight on a weekday otherwise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally unable to continue the farce, Jaehyun clears his throat and addresses Yuta like it’s the first time he’s noticing him, “Not going to bed yet?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No...I was a little hungry.” Jaehyun cocks a brow in confusion because why is Yuta sitting here next to him when he can be going through the fridge like he does when he thinks Jaehyun’s not around, but then he remembers they have basically nothing in it since they’ve both been too busy to do their shopping.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eat some cereal then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta’s face brightens up, “We have cereal?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course Yuta doesn’t know about it. Jaehyun made sure to hide it behind the bag of rice in the cupboard out of habit. Him and Doyoung never shared food, and Doyoung made clear that there was no need to, when they were both usually diligent with their shopping. Also, Yuta is the enemy and you don’t share food with the enemy (unless it’s charred meat, in Yuta’s case).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s not his problem that Yuta’s always running the risk of starving because he’s a lazy ass who only ever frequents the convenience store, and an unhealthy one too, considering the amount of junk occupying their cupboards and the prepackaged chicken breasts in the fridge. A testament to how badly Yuta needs to go to a supermarket and buy actual food before his body decides to shut down from too much preservatives.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He isn’t Jaehyun’s responsibility, Yuta is a grown man who is fully capable of taking care of himself, albeit terribly, but Jaehyun is also weak against his pout, it would seem, because he blurts out,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We do. Do you like Oreo O’s?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘Buy your own’</span>
  </em>
  <span> comeback that he rehearsed everyday without fail in his head for this particular scenario.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s already halfway through the semester when Jungwoo graces their apartment with his presence for the first time. It’s the situation Jaehyun’s been doing his best to avoid the most since he started living with Yuta.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun is out shopping after his class when the taller boy comes by, in fact, Jungwoo doesn’t bother letting Jaehyun know at all, simply assuming he’ll be back for dinner anyway because he knows how much Jaehyun hates having his dinner outside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jungwoo is lounging comfortably on the couch when he walks in through the door. What takes him by surprise is who’s sitting next to Jungwoo with the biggest smile on his face. Yuta seems to have been home for a while because he’s already in his pyjamas and his hair is in a messy bun on top of his head. His face is bare, no kohl eyeliner and no rock band t-shirt in sight. He looks so unimpressive and normal that Jaehyun nearly does a double take. What he finds infuriating however, is the fact that Yuta still manages to look like a sight for sore eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hyung!” Jungwoo waves at him as if Jaehyun would miss his long limbs stretched out on the couch, “hope you don’t mind, Yuta let me in.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s only then Jaehyun notices that Yuta’s switch is docked to the TV and that they’re playing mario kart. Jungwoo is in eighth place and it’s almost unbearable watching him fumble with the controls, falling into ninth place within a second of greeting Jaehyun. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I saw him waiting outside the door when I got home so I let him in.” Yuta explains nonchalantly and it’s obvious he doesn’t really care what Jaehyun thinks since he’s having the time of his life beating Jungwoo to the ground. Jungwoo doesn’t seem to mind, letting princess Peach crash into a wall in favour of putting his hand on Yuta’s knee and </span>
  <em>
    <span>rubbing</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Jaehyun’s eyes narrow at the display.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine. Jungwoo would’ve found another way inside anyway.” His friend nods enthusiastically at that, which leads Jaehyun to think Jungwoo had this all carefully planned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey why don’t we hang out in my room?” He addresses Jungwoo after he puts his groceries away, because the last thing he wants is for the two most insufferable people to get along and possibly team up against him. (Not because he thinks Jungwoo doesn’t have any business being that close to Yuta)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta’s face falls (it’s definitely an act) and Jungwoo looks between them, torn, “Uhhh...Okay I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The round ends with his friend in the very last place and Yuta reluctantly ending the round with a sigh, “Have fun!” He says but he sounds strained, before bounding away to his own room, leaving his switch still docked. Jaehyun figures he’ll come back for it when he needs it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yuta’s pretty cool.” Is the first thing Jungwoo says when he plops down Jaehyun’s bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t know that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, he really is. He’s interesting, and funny and nice to look at too.” Jaehyun levels him with a glare for his last statement but Jungwoo prattles on without care, “I don’t think he’s the type to blackmail anyone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You fell for his charms too, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jungwoo grins and Jaehyun realises what he said too late. He smacks his lips close as the younger man says with a teasing lilt, “Have </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> fallen for his charms?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Were you jealous we were getting along well? I think he likes me by the way, he said my height is pretty impressive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not that much taller than me…” He grumbles out loud and turns on Bruno Mars on his bluetooth speaker so he doesn’t have to hear Jungwoo’s laughter, “and it’s not like that. I don’t like him like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hyung, it’s been what, two months? If you were still worried about him leaking your picture you wouldn’t be sharing your favourite cereal with him. You don’t have to deny it.” And it’s true, while Jaehyun has spent the last two months dreading waking up to his picture uploaded everywhere, the more he gets to know Yuta, the more he’s convinced that it’s never going to happen, despite the pretenses he puts up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did you—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He told me of course. We’re besties now.” Jaehyun finally gives up trying to be an adult and chucks a whole pillow at his friend’s face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You came here for help on your paper didn’t you? Then I don’t wanna hear anything about Yuta for the rest of the night or you’re getting thrown out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re no fun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time Jungwoo’s done milking Jaehyun’s notes from last year, the trains have almost stopped running. Jaehyun makes sure to drag him out in time because he’s not having the younger man sleep over on their couch, not if he wants a peaceful morning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So Jaehyun sees Jungwoo out and nearly bites his tongue clean off when he comes back to the apartment to find Yuta rummaging through the fridge in the dark, like every night since Jaehyun begrudgingly told him it’s okay to eat some of the stuff he buys. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At least turn the lights on.” Jaehyun huffs, putting a hand to his chest in case his heart decides to leap out of it. Yuta peeks out from behind the door, the light from the fridge illuminating his face in all the right angles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, I thought you were already in bed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looks a little rumpled, the bags under his eyes looking darker than ever. He looks like he just woke up from a nap and with the unpredictability of his schedule, Jaehyun’s sure that that’s the case. Without really meaning to, he recalls the older man’s dejected face earlier (it’s an act, he reminds himself) and Jaehyun from two months ago wouldn’t have dwelled on that particular memory, would’ve moved on and walked away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he realises with a terrible sinking feeling that Jungwoo might be right. He may really be harbouring an unwanted, very much unwarranted crush.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” He begins to say when he notes that Yuta tucked an old packaged chicken under his arm, and not any of the things Jaehyun bought for him. The older man looks up at him in what could only be expectation and Jaehyun takes a deep, long breath before he continues, “Do you want me to make you something? You’ve been eating just that for dinner this week.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine, I can just have these. It’s already late.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t those taste terrible?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They keep me full.” Jaehyun plucks the packaged chicken from his hold without waiting for Yuta’s permission, putting it back in the fridge and leaning against the door in case Yuta tries to go for it again. Not for the first time since Yuta moved in, he’s determined to win the argument.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I’ll make something. I think you could use some real food right now.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The shorter man finally relents, his entire body going lax and Jaehyun absolutely does not look at how his oversized t-shirt slips down to reveal a defined collarbone, “Okay, if you say so…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He catches his roommate glancing towards the TV where his console is still plugged in, fiddling with his many cartilage piercings, and tries not to pull at his hair from how badly he wants to trudge over and comfort the sulking man. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Damn it all to hell</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he mumbles to himself and out loud he says,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can play mario kart after we eat, if you want.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta smiles, his eyes turning into little crescents and a tiny dimple popping from his left cheek. It’s another battle lost for Jaehyun.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By the third month of Jaehyun and Yuta living together, the former has already amassed enough information about Yuta to file away in a small trivia book, and it definitely isn’t without effort from his end. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Underneath his mess and general unpredictability, Yuta is easygoing and quite a pleasure to be around, if Jaehyun sets his prejudices aside; he laughs at all of Jaehyun’s jokes, even the lame ones and makes a conscious effort to make Jaehyun feel appreciated for the little thing he does, like cooking and cleaning and making sure the basil plant Yuta got on a whim doesn’t die from over or underwatering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta’s far from perfect, often burning whatever concoction he decides to replicate from a youtube recommendation video, and sometimes accidentally locking himself out of the apartment at odd hours, and Jaehyun’s least favourite of all is him clogging the shower drain with his hair. It’s not that much different from his experiences with his ex-roommates but there’s something that sets Yuta apart from the rest and it has everything to do with his brilliant smile and his propensity for trouble and maybe his winning personality.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun isn’t about to admit that however, even when Yuta makes his way into the living room one evening in a pair of black skinny jeans and a printed button-up shirt that’s folded up to his elbows. It’s far from the sight he’s gotten used to; no oversized hoodies and t-shirts and baggy sweatpants hanging from Yuta’s wide hips, but actual form-fitting clothes this time. He swallows the lump in his throat as Yuta fetches a pair of heeled boots from their shoe cabinet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do I look okay?” The shorter man asks self-consciously, when he finally notices Jaehyun lying on the couch. It’s incredibly out of character for him, who seems to always be exuding confidence, but Jaehyun doesn’t dwell on it, only hoping Yuta missed the fact that Jaehyun had been openly ogling him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. You look okay.” Jaehyun says, clipped. He tries to keep his eyes on his laptop screen that he has perched on his lap. The living room is dark save for the little light spilling from Yuta’s room, and it’s enough to illuminate the glitter around Yuta’s big eyes and the sheen of gloss over his lips and Jaehyun gives up trying not to give a fuck when Yuta fixes his hair back with bobby pins.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It takes a surprising amount of self control not to tell Yuta that he looks gorgeous in the ensemble, and that he should really wear brighter eyeshadows more often because they make his eyes pop or that he should switch his grandpa jeans for skinny ones because he has great legs and a wonderful ass. No, Jaehyun must practice self restraint. Yuta must’ve sensed his hesitation because he cocks his head to the side,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was thinking maybe the prints are a bit of an overkill. Should I just go with a t-shirt? Or I can forgo the boots, it’s a little warm for them anyway and-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re fine.” Jaehyun cuts off his rambling, finally realising that his short answers might be doing a number on Yuta’s self-esteem without his intention, “They suit you well. Maybe you should put your hair up instead so you can see that properly.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He motions to the choker resting against Yuta’s throat, on top of his longer necklaces. The latter nods with a hint of a smile and gathers his hair up in a high ponytail, leaving the bobby pins on, and Jaehyun immediately regrets his suggestion when Yuta suddenly looks twice as hot with his hair out of his face. Yuta cocks a hip and Jaehyun nearly loses it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This man definitely knows he’s sexy, even if he acts coy about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you Jaehyun.” Yuta smiles brightly, possibly aware of his roommate’s internal struggle. Jaehyun decides this is when he should steer the conversation to safer territories.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where are you going?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m meeting my friends. You know them, Xuxi, Ten, Johnny, one of them is in your department by the way.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s the occasion?” After all, it’s the middle of the week and he doubts Yuta would be back before midnight by the way he’s dressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Xuxi’s birthday. It was actually last week but we didn’t get the chance to celebrate.” Jaehyun remembers the guy, he’s the one from his department, fairly popular among girls for his wit and impressive height. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A long silence stretches between them before Yuta breaks it with an unsure voice, eyes trained at his feet like they’re the most interesting thing in the room, “I’m not leaving until 8...do you by any chance, want to come? They’d love to meet you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The invitation effectively brings up a few unpleasant and embarrassing memories, most of which are of him pressed against a bathroom stall with a stranger on his knees in front of him. Suddenly, he’s reminded of why he hasn’t been to a single party after that drunken incident from last summer. He blurts out a sharp, “No.” and watches Yuta nod awkwardly in dejection.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun backtracks immediately, “I mean, it would be kind of weird since I don’t know any of them.” Not to mention he called Yuta’s friends a bunch of snobby rich brats just a couple of months ago. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The necklaces layered over Yuta’s chest moves when he takes a deep breath, likely of relief. Jaehyun’s eyes are drawn to them and he unconsciously fiddles with the hem of his t-shirt to stem his restlessness. Yuta seems to notice his discomfort because he lets it go with a shrug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course. We should meet up for lunch on campus one of these days, so I can introduce you properly to them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah I’d like that.” And he’s surprised to note that he actually means every word of it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta sashays back into his room while waiting for his ride and it hits Jaehyun how odd the action is, considering how much Yuta tends to impose his presence whenever Jaehyun’s occupying the couch. He doesn’t think much about it, and within half an hour, his roommate is out the door with only a short goodbye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The night leaves Jaehyun with an inexplicable sense of regret. What would’ve come out of it if he’d agreed to come? What if he told Yuta the story about the picture and why he’s so against going out to parties with alcohol involved? He smothers the idea just as quickly and forces himself to focus on the docuseries he meticulously picked out from Jungwoo’s recommendations.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He falls asleep on the couch, which isn’t new, and stirs awake from the sound of the lock on the front door clicking in place. Jaehyun looks up with bleary eyes at a tipsy-looking Yuta who stumbles into the kitchen with a plastic bag. He doesn’t seem to notice Jaehyun so the latter leaves it like that, content to watch his roommate trip on nothing on his way back to his room after depositing what’s inside the plastic bag in the fridge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next morning, he finds a plastic container with fried fish cakes and stir fried noodles, a a post-it on top of it in Yuta’s neat handwriting.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Eat well, Jae</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s the first time Yuta’s called him by his nickname and it sends the butterflies in Jaehyun’s stomach in a frenzy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jungwoo is one of the first ones to notice Jaehyun’s considerably softer approach to the chaos that is Yuta. That’s not an impressive feat considering the amount of time he spends hanging around their dorm playing on Yuta’s switch and just generally basking in the attention Yuta so happily lavishes on him. So Jaehyun thinks that confirming what his friend has long been suspecting is only one of the many inevitable confessions to come.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened to he’s plotting to ruin my life with a picture I sent by mistake at the height of stupidity?” Jaehyun throws a lettuce from his salad at the younger man, who dodges expertly. They get called out by another student passing by after the lettuce lands on her new sneakers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jungwoo you little shit. I’m pouring my heart out here.” He hisses after the student walks away, only a little annoyed, after Jaehyun turns on the dimpled smile with his apology.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why on earth would you expect that I, of all people, would give you an easy time about this? You spent months talking shit about poor Yuta, it’s only right you suffer a little bit more with your crush.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun gives him a stink eye, “Maybe because I’m your friend?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Point taken. I’m also Yuta’s friend now though, did you know he lent me his sweater the other day? It’s a little short on me but it’s so comfy and it smells like him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay now you’re just doing this on purpose. This is stupid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re stupid!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun draws the line at his friend’s reflexive immature response and is about to lunge at him when Hendery, an underclassman from Jungwoo’s department and the newest kid in the press club, comes bounding in their direction with his lunch. He sits next to Jaehyun and flashes the latter with one of his permanent, pleasant smiles, stopping what could possibly have been the biggest cafeteria fight of the century.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not a word.” Jaehyun mouths at Jungwoo who rewards him with an evil grin. Juvenile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What were you talking about?” Hendery starts to say when he notices the awkward tension between his clubmates. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hyung’s crush.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hyung’s-?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kim Jungwoo!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun doesn’t know exactly when Yuta stopped registering as the person who received his nude by mistake and the one who plots Jaehyun’s daily suffering in his sleep to the person Jaehyun looks forward to seeing everyday, even though they live together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their lives have become so closely interwoven despite Jaehyun’s efforts to keep his distance and it seems that’s been inevitable from the beginning, especially with Yuta’s eccentric personality and natural magnetism. It’s not that he still doesn’t trust Yuta, he’s not so stupid as not to recognise that his initial aversion has more to do with attraction than trepidation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It doesn’t matter anymore if Yuta still has that leverage on him—after all, he never bothered to ask if his roommate kept the picture or not—what matters more now is that Jaehyun may be, irrevocably, smitten and he’s not sure what to do with these feelings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So when Yuta comes out of the shower late in the evening while Jaehyun is stuffing his face with the two-day old rice ball he forgot in the fridge, looking fine as hell with his loose t-shirt and wet hair stuck to the back of his neck and the sides of his face, Jaehyun feels something cold settle in his stomach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You look pale, you don’t have another headache do you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I-” Jaehyun makes the mistake of looking at Yuta’s slightly moist lips from his shower, and unconsciously slips into a trance at the thought of biting them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to Jungwoo’s tonight. I’ll be back later.” he says in one breath, and watches Yuta’s confusion turn into worry. He runs to his room before his roommate can open his mouth, and shuts his door with a slam.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Jungwoo is understandably piqued when he shows up at his dorm unannounced, shoving Jungwoo’s roommate to the side by accident in his haste to get inside. He finds his friend waving at him from their tiny sofa bed with a bag of potato chips on his lap next to his laptop. He’s watching netflix instead of working on the column he’s supposed to have out by next week.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yo, you called for me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I knocked.” He emphasises just to remind Jungwoo that he’d been ignored for a whole five minutes until his roommate decided he’d had enough of Jungwoo’s annoying ass friend trying to tear their door down and opened the door for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Same thing. So what brought you here?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I do like Yuta.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jungwoo gives him a look that perfectly conveys his disappointment at Jaehyun’s slow uptake, “Old news. Hey do you think you can get Hendery to write the next column instead? I’m swamped with schoolwork this week.” He says, licking his greasy fingers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is serious.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You say that all the time before you remember you don’t do relationships.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No...listen, I don’t just want to fuck him, I think I have actual feelings. Like the fuzzy and warm kind.” His friend looks at him in disgust while Jungwoo’s roommate silently disappears into his own room looking a little traumatised after his unprompted declaration.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn hyung, give a man a warning before you put that image in my head.” Jungwoo pushes the laptop and chips off his lap and opens his arms wide, “I don’t have the solution for that but come here you affection-deprived man, let me give you a hug for this milestone, even if you just put me off my dinner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun silently wonders how he survived the last three years with Jungwoo but he goes in for the hug anyway. Tomorrow he’s going to talk to Yuta and finally deal with his feelings.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t. Jaehyun ends up getting cold feet after his fourth attempt to knock on Yuta’s door. Reminded by how terribly he’d treated Yuta before, and consumed by the fear that Yuta might not even like him that way, he decides his next course of action: avoiding his roommate at all cost.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The plan appears to be a stretch, which is to be expected since they live together, but also because between the two of them, Yuta seems more determined to clear the air between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I deleted the picture. If that’s what you’re still worried about.” Yuta grits with a small frown when he comes out of his room. Jaehyun hadn’t known he was home, or he wouldn’t have been casually lounging at their kitchen table, editing photos for the weekly editorial.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun believes Yuta of course; he’s no longer hellbent on painting Yuta as the bad guy out to destroy his life, but it’s not like he can tell Yuta the real reason why he’s avoiding him, even if a good chunk of his turmoil did revolve around the picture Yuta was never meant to receive. It’s such an awkward and unpleasant precursor to a possible relationship and what Jaehyun wouldn’t give to undo that particular detail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s embarrassed, is the simplest way to put it; the man he may have feelings for knows the shit he gets up to behind the cold, peevish demeanor he puts up, and scared, because for the first time, he does care about being rejected. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not that.” Jaehyun lies through his teeth, not bothering to look away from his laptop screen. Yuta stomps his feet as he approaches and Jaehyun is forced to look up at his roommate’s disgruntled face unless he wants to appear more suspicious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then what is it? Why are you avoiding me? I know you didn’t like me before but I thought we were getting along better.” Jaehyun is caught off guard by the question. He didn’t think Yuta cared enough about him to agonise over Jaehyun’s obvious evasion the last few days, and Jaehyun realises with a sinking feeling that he failed to consider what Yuta thought of his half-ass attempts to build rapport between them or how he’d feel about being cast aside as easy as that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We were. We are, I do like you. Just…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just, you’re uncomfortable being around me?” Yuta asks, sounding entirely heartbroken and Jaehyun wants to beat himself over the head because the other man looks genuinely upset. For the first time since he started living in the student accommodations, Jaehyun regrets being a terrible roommate and an absolute asshole.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, that’s not-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t get the chance to finish, because Yuta starts swaying, eyes suddenly glazed over. Jaehyun’s on his feet at once, hardly registering the dining chair screeching against the floor because he’s reaching for Yuta, who promptly collapses in his arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, hey! What’s wrong?!” He doesn’t get an answer, Yuta’s eyes are already closed and Jaehyun gives him a firm shake in his panic. Yuta is unresponsive and turns into a deadweight in his hold so he slowly lowers him to the floor while being careful to cradle his head. He feels a pulse and a steady heartbeat but Yuta’s not breathing. Is it an allergic reaction? Jaehyun thinks back in panic but doesn’t remember seeing Yuta eat anything remotely questionable, and he knows he threw away the 2-week old spoiled milk in the fridge. But the eggs, he forgot to throw the rotten eggs, he feels himself go pale immediately.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yuta! Wake up!” He screams and when Yuta doesn’t as much as move, he eases an arm under his legs and another under his waist and picks him up with ease. He’s glad he’s been diligent with gym despite his busy schedule because he manages to manoeuvre them around the tiny space of their dorm and out the door in seconds. No one told him people can collapse from bad eggs, all these time thinking they just gave you food poisoning at most but he can’t think straight because Yuta’s head lols against his neck, the tip of his nose is cold when it touches Jaehyun’s bare skin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun would’ve blushed furiously at the sudden proximity if he’s not deathly afraid for his roommate. They’re already halfway to the elevators when Yuta gasps out loud, coughs a bit and takes deep, measured breaths. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun watches colour return to Yuta’s face in stupefaction. The those big, guilty eyes look up at him at the same time Yuta clings onto Jaehyun’s t-shirt, mumbling a meek,  “Sorry…” over the thrum of adrenaline coursing through Jaehyun’s veins.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” He asks instead and Yuta’s face crumples in an instant when he repeats,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry. That was just an act.” Jaehyun should’ve dropped him right there, at the empty hall beginning to fill with students peeking from their own doors in curiosity. He should be pissed but all he can think of is that Yuta’s not dying from bad eggs. Instinctively his hand tightens around Yuta’s waist and he hears his roommate’s sharp intake of breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why would you do that!?” Jaehyun finally lashes out when he’s sure Yuta’s not going to stop breathing again any time soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know you were going to carry me all the way here! Any normal person would’ve called 119 or performed CPR.” Jaehyun stops to think and realises that yes, those should’ve been his first course of action but he panicked, and he now knows he’s useless in the face of actual emergencies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You colossal idiot, we would’ve been fined! Or worse, gone to jail!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would’ve cut the act before it went too far!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then why didn’t you before I ran out of the door then!?” Yuta swings down from his hold, bare feet on the cold tile floor, and looks away in shame. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He mumbles something but it’s too loud in the hall with the crowd that’s begun to gather from the commotion for Jaehyun to make anything out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I said! I liked it when you held me!” Yuta announces a little too loudly and Jaehyun’s face grows hot at the same time Yuta buries his face in his hands. Jaehyun groans and then drops to his knees. He picks Yuta up effortlessly, to the latter’s surprise. He flails for a few seconds until he realises what Jaehyun’s doing, and lets his roommate carry him all the way back to their dorm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun reckons it’s because Yuta’s not wearing any shoes or slippers and he has to be a special kind of cruel to let him walk back inside barefoot. They both know the intention is a little more intimate than that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can’t you confess like a normal person? I wanna skip the theatrics just this time.” He interrupts Yuta’s agonising over the stunt he just pulled after the door closes behind them. The smaller man still has his face buried in Jaehyun’s neck, blushing furiously down to the tips of his ears, even after Jaehyun sets him down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It did the job, didn't it? Much better than your stupid ass could.” His voice is muffled but Jaehyun gets the point. He chuckles at how stupid this whole thing is, and how annoyingly easy it is to like Yuta, even when he’s being insufferable and overdramatic. They really do make one hell of a pair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think this is the part where we kiss and you apologise for terrorising me every second of your day.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>terrorising</span>
  </em>
  <span> you. I was flirting, you bonehead.” Jaehyun looks at him with furrowed brows,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You melted plastic into my dinner two weeks ago.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen, I didn’t know that container wasn’t microwaveable, and I—“ and then the rest of his words are being muffled by Jaehyun’s lips descending on him. Jaehyun feels Yuta grabbing a fistful of his hair, feels his teeth scraping on his bottom lip and he hauls him closer by the hips and deepens the kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta moans into his mouth and Jaehyun belatedly realises that while he wasn’t entirely wrong about Yuta being a manipulative bastard, it’s not only his physical appearance that appeals to Jaehyun but all of him, even the unpleasant parts he spent months trying to pick apart. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The epiphany comes as Yuta shoves his tongue down his throat, </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he thinks,</span>
  <em>
    <span> I’m completey done for.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun wakes up on a Saturday morning with his cheek red with the impression of his keyboard after falling asleep halfway through his history paper due on Monday. His back and neck are in pain and he’s reminded why he ended up falling asleep in such an uncomfortable position in the first place when he sees Yuta crawling out from under his duvet with mussed hair and sleepy eyes, giggling softly at Jaehyun when he sees the lines on Jaehyun’s cheek. A single bed really isn’t made to be shared by two grown guys and this relationship thing is quickly proving inconvenient especially when he gets kicked out of his own bed more often than he gets kisses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wipes the drool from his lips and notes that Yuta’s wearing his boxers again when the latter throws the duvet off him, and attempts to climb into Jaehyun’s lap. He groans because his legs are still asleep but it’s not like Yuta cares much about it. He’s going to get his cuddles, one way or another.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Done with your paper?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, not even half.” Then he looks down and watches in real time as the flimsy material of his boxers stretch dangerously over Yuta’s ass when he curls against Jaehyun.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Also, I want my boxers back.” He finally says, letting Yuta rub his face on his neck like a cat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What for? You have a lot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because they’re mine? Go buy your own Yuta.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t want them back, they already-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t care about your cooties Yuta. I literally had your dick in my mouth last night.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The smaller man recoils in betrayal but Jaehyun already knows it’s part of the act. When the stern look on his face doesn’t budge, Yuta finally exhales in defeat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay fine. You’re so boring.” He says as he jumps off Jaehyun and blood comes rushing back into his limbs. He’s sounding more and more like Jungwoo lately and Jaehyun knows paving the way to this unlikely friendship is one of the many things he’ll regret later in life, if he isn’t already regretting it. “I’m gonna take a shower first. I’m gonna wash them before I give them back.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta hops to the bathroom with his poofy short hair and oversized sweater reaching up to his thighs. What a year it’s been, Jaehyun lets himself think as he crawls into his still-warm bed that also still smells like Yuta’s powdery sweet floral perfume.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He supposes the thing with Yuta could’ve turned out much worse—like Yuta not reciprocating or him turning out to be the superficial asshole Jaehyun made him out to be in his head in the first weeks of them living together—although he still thinks he bit more than he can chew, especially when Yuta rolls into his bed at night, kissing him about three times before hogging all of his pillows.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His phone buzzes on his desk and he reaches for it before burying half his face into his mattress. It’s a message from Yuta with an image attachment. He smiles without realising, and it only grows bigger when he sees what the picture is.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s Yuta’s very own version of Jaehyun’s highly questionable picture, except he doesn’t cut his face from it, dangling Jaehyun’s precious boxers next to his cheek with a small pout he knows Jaehyun is decidedly weak to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You little minx.” He grumbles before jumping out of bed and slinking to the bathroom, his history paper be damned.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
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